The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-05-12
See Comrade Taylor's adv. on page 5.
THE FLAG ON LOOKOUT.
A Southern Writer Quoted " Torninst" the White


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: A correct his
tory Of the rebellion, save that being now pub
lished by the United States Government, will,
/ think, not be undertaken by any one who
values his peace of mind until the would.be
historian feels assured that the last survivor
of the war has persisted from the face of the
earth. 1t has come TO that point that one
hardly dares 10 narrate what he saw at any par
ticular time or place, before up jumps a COM
rade who says that what the other comrade said
is great big no-such- a-thing, and proceeds TO
give his version of the affair.
Then only by the weight of evidence can the
truth be learned, and even then some comrades
require much more than others 10 convince
them.
do not wish 10 be understood as DESTROYS of
detracting anything whatever from the glorious
achievements of the White Star Division,
among whom i have many friends, but l do
want 10 see the truth prevail.
Serious blunders have already found their
way into the histories compiled since the war
in regard TO the Lookout Mountain fight For
instance, in the Pictorial History of the United
States" edited by that very distinguished
man, A. II. Stephens on page Isl, is large en-
craving, entitled Battle of Missionary Ridge
or Lookout Mountain" What confusion of
facts or location is there made! The fight on
Lookout Mountain was just as separate and dis
tinct from the Mission Ridge fight as are the
two mountain ranges four miles apart, on
which they were fought. Capt James w. A.
Wright, of the Both Ala. C. S. A., in comment
ing on the engraving above spoken Of saws in
the Southern BiuOudc for January, 1887, page 1854:
The engraving in question gives a very accurate
idea indeed OF Lookout Mountain and the crown
ing point on Pulpit Rock. !" and the lower part OF
the picture represents very correctly the charge OF
Hooker's men on that stormy November morning.
But the artist draws entirely on his imaginaii, n
and violates The truth IN placing that long line OF
men above extending 10 the summit and planting
the flag there. The summit is inaccessb
for any such charge along that line on account of
its palisades. which extend a mile or more
south continuously, and varying in hight from 40
10 100 feet at various points the only road 20 the
top passing around them.
The Stars and Stripes never reached the summit
on the 2ith. the day Of the battle of Lookout
Mountain. The advance of Rockers Corps was
held in check all day 10y Bragg after their first dash
under cover of the morning fog. by which they had
taken Braggs rif1epits and eRrthwOTks on his ex-
treme left and had captured fully a third of Wal
thal's Brigade Of Mssissippians. Bragg then
quietly withdrew his LEFT wing from Lookout
Mountain between midnight and ia ybreal. In the
early dawn or the 18th "A detachment OF Is men OF
the ah ky, under Capt Wilson, clambered up the
rocks unopposed at shelving part Of the palisades.
They were soon followed 10y the entire regiment,
and planted the flag of the Union Pulpit
kock al sunrise in sight OF both armies.
COmrade Blundin, il seems as if not only the
Yanks but the rebs also were opposed TO your
claim. Capt. Wright fixes the time as sunrise
OF inc S0ln, the place as Pulpit ROck," and
the flag that Of the Sth KY, aud Capt. Wilson
in command Of the 10 men who did it, Now
for something else. What was the name of the
man who fired the shot that brought down
the rebel Gag from Pulpit Rock ~ Where
was il fired from, and from what battery? The
man lives here. His name is Marshall. Now,
j am in hot water again, as / expect TO see at
least six John Smiths dispute me. Well, I'll
fight you fair, if you will quote facts only.
Some months ago j read a very interesting
work, a Narrative Of Prison Escape" COM
piled by Comrade w. II. Newlin, OF Danville.
ILL.,, who was SO unfortunate as 10 be captured
at Chickamauga aud taken to Richmond, and
sfterward 10 Danvile Va, where was located
the smallpox prison hospital for the rebels
Here he remained until March, 1864, when ne
and five others made their escape, and after
losing two of their comrades In the mountains
of Virginia and wandering about in the woods
for more than three weeks, the remainder
struck our lines and Gods Country" at eau.
ley Bridge w. Va. j have been informed that
hewlin intends soon 10 20 over the entire
ground, if possible TO do so, and as he is very
graphic aud pleasing writer, hope the COM
rades Of the I'D lll.-Newlin's rcgiment--or
perhaps the Editor Of The NATIONAL TRIB-
UNE could prevail on him 10 write a series Of
letters for the benefit Of his comrades, and have
them published in The NATIONAL TRIBUNE
know they would be read with interest.-C.
w. HARRINGTON, 18th U. S. Inf, Dayton, o.